How to Pick the Best Beauty School near Huntington West Virginia
Since you have decided to train as a cosmetologist and attend a beauty school near Huntington WV, the process starts to search for and enroll in the right school. It’s important that the program you choose not only provides the necessary instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further about that in the following section. If you intend on commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Huntington home. Tuition will additionally be an important factor when assessing potential schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the closest or the least expensive it’s not automatically the best choice. There are various other considerations that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let’s talk a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
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Defining Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the application of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but actually a cosmetic may be almost anything that enhances the appearance of a person’s skin, hair or nails. If you want to work as a cosmetologist, most states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then be licensed. Once licensed, the work settings include not only Huntington WV beauty salons and barber shops, but also such venues as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a customer base, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin servicing customers either in their own residences or will travel to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates go by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:
- Hairdressers
- Hairstylists
- Beauticians
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Nail Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hair Coloring Specialists
- Estheticians
- Electrolysis Technicians
As formerly stated, in the majority of states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, for example hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, including shampooers, are not required to be licensed in those states.
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Cosmetologist Certificates and Degrees
There are essentially two options offered to receive cosmetology training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can work toward an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs normally take 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree usually takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be instructed in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are available if you prefer to specialize in just one area, such as hair coloring. A degree program will also likely feature management and marketing training so that graduates are better prepared to operate a salon or other Huntington WV business. Higher degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whatever type of course you go with, it’s essential to make sure that it’s certified by the West Virginia Board of Cosmetology. Many states only certify schools that are accredited by certain reputable agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will discuss the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the upcoming section.
Online Beauty Programs
Online cosmetology schools are advantageous for Huntington WV students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed through a personal computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many programs are as brief as six or eight months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are covering the same amount of material, but you’re not spending numerous hours outside of your home or commuting back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s essential that the program you pick can provide internship training in area salons and parlors to ensure that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it’s difficult to acquire the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is available in your area.
What to Ask Beauty Trade Schools
Following is a series of questions that you need to look into for any beauty training school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Huntington WV home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology program. Following we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the School Accredited? It’s essential to make certain that the cosmetology training program you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available in 25701 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Huntington WV businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Each cosmetology institute that you are seriously considering should have a good to exceptional reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Huntington WV salon owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are reviewing. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the West Virginia school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s essential that you choose a school that focuses on your area of interest. If your intention is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your dream is to open a hair salon in Huntington WV, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a weak program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining cosmetology skills and techniques requires lots of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the beauty courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. Therefore try to find alternate schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a cosmetology school, it’s essential that he or she gets support in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develope relationships with Huntington WV businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and find out which salons and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? Many beauty schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you learn what financial help may be offered.
Cosmetics Classes Huntington West Virginia
Choosing and enrolling in the right cosmetologist program is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. You originally came to this website because you have an interest in Cosmetics Classes and learning more about the topic Cosmetic Classes. So make sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to consolidate all of the information you receive from the cosmetology school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then employ that information to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are qualified to start your career as a professional cosmetologist in Huntington WV.
Other Beautiful West Virginia Locations
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne Counties [5] in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and largest city in the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A historic and bustling city of commerce and heavy industry, Huntington has benefited from its location on the Ohio River at the mouth of the Guyandotte River. It is home to the Port of Huntington Tri-State, the second-busiest inland port in the United States.[6]
Surrounded by extensive natural resources, the industrial sector is based in coal, oil, chemicals and steel, all of which support Huntington's diversified economy. The city is a vital rail-to-river transfer point for the marine transportation industry. Also, it is considered a scenic locale in the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. This location was selected by Collis Potter Huntington as ideal for the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the predecessor of what would become CSX Transportation which still operates CSX Transportation-Huntington Division in the city to date.
The railroad founded Huntington as one of the nation's first planned communities to facilitate the railroad and other transportation-related industries at the railway's western terminus. Developing fast after the railroad's completion in 1871, the site was previously a collection of agricultural homesteads, and is eponymously named for the railroad company's founder Collis Potter Huntington. The first identifiable permanent settlement, Holderby's Landing, was founded in 1775 in the Colony of Virginia. With the exception of the neighborhoods of Westmoreland and Spring Valley, most of the city is in Cabell County.[7]
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